YONGNUO 17MM F1.7 REVIEW - Better Than Olympus 17mm F1.8?

[@RonSwanson24]

I love your enthusiasm. It always brings a smile to my face when I hear “Let’s do this”

[@robinwong]

Thanks Ron, appreciate that

[@lylyluvda916]

I’ve seen your videos for other camera lenses. I appreciate you! Such a positive attitude

[@w0lfyovi294]

Excellent review, I'm happy to see that Yongnuo was able to come out with such an excellent but affordable lens. Looks to me an excellent companion for the trio, 17mm f 1.7, 25mm f 1.7 and 42.5mm f 1.7 II ... And all 3 cost just 330 £ new. Are you going to "finally" replace/sell? the Olympus 17mm f 1.8? I have noticed in your pictures and the close up comparison that the YongNuo has brighter and more saturated colours (the Olympus seem to be darker, especially the green) and the background rendering is a lot smoother too (though that is affected by the fact that Yongnuo was closer to the toy).

[@robinwong]

I may still keep the Olympus 17mm F1.8 around mainly because I use it to shoot some video stuff (I am not that particular about video quality, unlike stills photos). The bokeh from the Yongnuo does look a bit better, but nothing to shout about. The colors, well, hard to tell, the clouds could have moved or something, I tend not to judge that too closely unless it was shot in a studio controlled environment. That comparison should only be valid to show magnification/close up shooting difference, nothing more!

[@gezaszemok7942]

I love your sunny disposition, it is a delight! Thank you!

[@robinwong]

Thanks, appreciate that

[@ChrisBrogan]

I have a FF 85mm from Yongnuo coming from China right now, and I feel like we get what we get. I think it's BETTER than what we might expect from the price, but it's definitely budget (but still coming up in quality as they keep learning). Have to echo others - I love how you start every post. :)

[@robinwong]

Thanks Chris. Generally, I think Yongnuo made good budget lenses. They may not outperform first party lenses generally, but considering the budget pricing, really can't complain much.

[@jonastruemper637]

Robin, thanks for the review! As a user of the Oly 17 1.8, I would still love to see a side-by-side comparison of the lenses. At least, it would take away some of the subjectiveness of your statements about dullness etc. If only, to see whether it's worth a consideration for me or others -- if I would also prefer it over the Oly one. 🙂

[@ZieglerArmin]

Hello Robin, thank you for your review. Have you ever tried the Panasonic/Leica 15mm 1,7? It is also a very small lense with a slightly wider view.

[@vasiliszappas369]

Thank you Robin. Have you try this lense in night photography? It is a fast lense and I will be interested how is it doing in that part.

[@hedleywrightphotography]

100% agree with your opinion on the MZ 17 rendering, I never bonded with that lens and much preferred the Panasonic 15mm and 20mm which have a more pleasing organic rendering.

[@robinwong]

I am just glad the Yongnuo 17mm F1.7 gives a better rendering than the Olympus 17mm F1.8

[@benjaminstewart7062]

Another interesting review! I had the same feeling about the Oly 17mm. Great build and feel but the images seemed flat....I am happy to find someone else with the same opinion,I thought I was being picky Anyway great to see more companies joining the fray! The more the merrier I say

[@robinwong]

Yongnuo has been making Micro Four Thirds lenses for several years, they had the 25mm F1.7, 42.5mm F1.7 and 12-35mm F2.8-4.

[@kamiltalipov]

Robin, thanks for sharing your experience! Of the 17mm lenses, I only have Olympus 17 2.8, and it actually works well for me. I like the compactness while the image quality is decent, nothing to complain about (I guess I got a good copy). However, it's really great that we now have more options to choose from. 17mm (35mm FF) is a great focal length! I will definitely consider the YONGNUO lens if I decide to upgrade from the pankake.

[@Blackbirddc]

This is exactly the type of MFT lens I've been looking for. Nothing has impressed me in this focal length yet. Very nice! I'll have to get one.

[@RayTaylorQ]

If you want to be impressed try the Voigtlander Nokton 17.5mm.

[@Blackbirddc]

@RayTaylorQ Haha yeah. I mean for a lower price. I mostly stick to budget lenses for my MFT gear. It's my fun, take anywhere camera, not my work machine.

[@RayTaylorQ]

@ I disagree with Robin on his comment about the 17mm 2.8 optical performance. Yes autofocus is slow and noisy and if you can put up with it, it really is quite good.

[@robinwong]

Go get one, the price is quite low too

[@Blackbirddc]

@@robinwong Oh I plan to.

[@darekhajduk8983]

Robin you have perfect timing with your videos ;) I just boguht the xiaoyi yi 42.5 f1.8 for portrait and macro (super cheap, super fast) for my olympus em10 mkii. Now its time for 14-20mm to make a combo with it. This lens looks awsome 😊 and its afordable, I will get it for sure, after my duaghter will be born ❤ keep doing great work with MFT, best regards to you Robin and all the fans ❤ P.S sorry for my english 😂 P.S (2) Is it good for video on em10 mkII ? Autofocus mainly

[@robinwong]

Thanks, I am sure you will love the Yongnuo 17mm F1.7. I did not test it for video. as I am not a videographer.

[@seaeagles6025]

Hi Robin, I really enjoyed your thoughts on this lens. I liked the Orange 17mm writing printed on the Lens, not a Fluoro colour but a nice bright Orange colour. Looks like a nice lens to have in your camera Bag. Thanks Robin 😊

[@robinwong]

The orange marking is consistent with their other prime lenses for Micro Four Thirds, 25mm and 42.5mm F1.7

[@seaeagles6025]

@robinwong Nice one, thanks Robin 👍

[@allanc803]

Thank you for the review Robin. It is good that after market lenses are starting to get the AF right.

[@robinwong]

Modern lenses have very good AF now

[@ImageMaven]

Robin, I love your videos and your photo examples. You always give us good info. But mostly I love your enthusiasm and that you’re a smiling happy guy. (I’m so tired of watching cranky men who only complain and are never happy with any gear they review, and often don’t even show us photos.) I already have, and love, the PanaLeica 15mm f1.7. But it’s always nice to know what else is out there. Cheers!

[@robinwong]

Thanks so much Marlene, it is always nice to see your comments here. And yes I have the Panasonic 15mm F1.7 which I also love very, very much! I use the Panasonic 15mm like a 28mm equivalent lens when I do street shooting, so the Yongnuo 17mm I use it like a 35mm, so both lenses give very different results!

[@RTFM70]

Looks like a great lens. The deal breaker for me would be the size. Thanks for making this video Robin.

[@robinwong]

The lens is not unbrearably big, it looks big because that Olympus 17mm F1.8 is just too tiny!

[@NiSE_Rafter]

There's not much coverage on this lens out there (at least not in English), thanks for sharing your experiences with it. I'm surprised at how well the images hold up compared to the first party lenses so I may purchase one of these in the future since I don't currently have a wide angle prime.

[@robinwong]

Yeah the image quality of the Yongnuo 17mm F1.7 is actually very good.

[@stephenhunt7655]

I'll have to check out this lens. By the way what brand straps are you using? I like how they look.

[@robinwong]

The strap has no brand though, it is a cheap one from China, and I won't recommend it to anyone, quality is quite bad!

[@stephenhunt7655]

@robinwong Okay thanks for the info. I'll keep looking. Have a great day.

[@vermis8344]

I'm torn. I'm currently on a kick for pocket-friendly pancakes like the Oly 17mm, but I also want to encourage Yongnuo for making M43 lenses at all, let alone an AF lens of this quality! (On the other hand, I have the Mitakon 17mm 0.95, but rarely take it out because it's a _brick_ of a lens about about a pound or half a kilo in weight. 180g is not much in comparison, even with a perma-hood.) Robin, you mentioned it went well with the OM-1, can you say how you think it'd pair with the E-M5/OM-5 line, or even smaller cameras?

[@robinwong]

If you want small size, then Olympus 17mm F1.8 is your answer. If you want better rendering, the Yongnuo is better. As I mentioned in the video, I did test the lens on E-PL7, and it is fine too.

[@vermis8344]

@@robinwong Ah, sorry Robin! I need to pay better attention. 😅 Thanks!

[@paperback10]

Thank you for another excellent review!

[@robinwong]

Thanks, I share what I can

[@simonatterbury]

Have been using the 17mm F1.8 a lot recently and sort of see what you mean, maybe a bit clinical? Have you used the LUMIX 35-100 F2.8, would be really interested to know as I'm looking for a bit more reach and it can compliment the Oly 12-40 F2.8 Pro.

[@robinwong]

No experience with the Panasonic 35-100mm F2.8 lens, as I have the Olympus 40-150mm F2.8, so a bit of an overlap.

[@MikeC2K10]

This lens seems to good to be true. The new price on Amazon is US$130 less than the used price for the Olympus 17mm f/1.8 (with hood) on MPB. Wild! I love the shot of pigeons taking flight. That's kind of an unusual subject for you. Well done.

[@marypar4]

$178 on amazon..not sure where you see $130?

[@benjaminstewart7062]

No 130 dollars less.....not 130 dollars.

[@robinwong]

Thanks Mike, I like that shot too. Yes, the budget price tag is quite incredible considering the quality of the lens.

[@thomasli2561]

Excellent. I wonder Yongnuo also makes other M43 compatible lens.

[@burnedmozzarella]

they make other f/1.7 in 25 and 42.5 and also older zoom lens. they make mft cameras too with android

[@robinwong]

There is also the 12-35mm F2.8-4. I have reviewed that, as well as 25mm F1.7

[@keithholland4322]

Thanks for doing this review! I have been considering replacing my Panasonic 14mm f/2.5, perhaps with a 15mm f/1.7, but the 15mm is kind of pricey. The Yongnuo 17mm seemed like a great alternative until I saw how big it is and how bad the chromatic aberration was. I know it is possible to get rid of most of the CR in post, but it's very time consuming and really annoying! In fact, that's why I traded in my Olympus 45mm f/1.8 for a Panasonic 42.5mm f/1.7. Since I already have the incredible Sigma 16mm f/1.4, I don't have any interest in getting another large moderate wide angle lens unless it's better than the Sigma, which is pretty hard to beat, and this lens isn't anywhere close to being in the same size category as the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5, Panasonic 15mm f/1.7, Panasonic 20mm f/1.7, or Olympus 17mm f/1.8.

[@robinwong]

I don't think you can truly replace the 14mm focal length with a 17mm. Both are very different. When it comes to classical focal lengths, 28mm and 35mm have their own places, they should not be replacing each other. What you can do with 28mm, you cannot do with 35mm.

[@keithholland4322]

@@robinwong In some cases, you might be right, but I think either one could serve as an environmental portrait lens, for instance. I certainly use my 14 and 16mm lenses interchangeably. Which one I take is dependent on how much weight I'm willing to carry that day, not which focal length is better suited to the task at hand since they're close enough that what I can do with one I can usually do with the other. Therefore, I don't expect one extra millimeter of focal length to be a huge game changer, especially since many lenses are not the exact focal length that they're marketed as anyway. Often, the manufacturer rounds it off a little for marketing purposes.

[@christinecoughlan4699]

Thank you Robin .

[@robinwong]

Cheers

[@lenongrumpies3981]

Thanks Robin, Yong Nuo. Hope the price not so high.

[@robinwong]

USD150 or RM600

[@azjoe_6310]

The look of the lens reminds me of my old Tamron 45mm 1.4 when I shot Canon.

[@robinwong]

It has very good rendering indeed.

[@Hannemanneke]

Thanks for the enthousiast review Robin! 😀👍

[@robinwong]

Thanks, and I share what I can!

[@rogervallejo5911]

In your opinion, would the Yongnuo 17mm with a used Olympus or Panasonic rangefinder body be a good, economical substitute for those who are seeking results similar to the wildly popular -- and expensive and unavailable -- Fujifilm X100vi? This combo would be less pocketable since the Yongnuo is longer, and some folks want a camera with instant access for grab shots. However, I usually don't mind having camera and lens separated for travel and assembled when you know you'll be shooting. If so, which body would you recommend and why?

[@robinwong]

If you want to keep the size of the setup small and as minimal as possible, then get the Olympus 17mm F1.8 or 2.8, those lenses are tinier. However, I'd still choose the Yongnuo 17mm F1.7 for the better image rendering capabilities.

[@houghwhite411]

I been waiting for your review on this!!

[@robinwong]

Thanks, and finally it is out!

[@LockeLeon]

Do you consider the IQ a substantial improvement over the Panasonic Lumix 20mm f1.7?

[@robinwong]

I don't think both lenses can be compared side by side. Different focal lengths.

[@mallem1755]

Damn ! I've Never heard of this one ! And I need a 17mm

[@robinwong]

The lens is reasonably new

[@jonasaras]

How does it stack up against the Panasonic 15mm?

[@robinwong]

You can't compare, both are different lenses. I use the Panasonic 15mm like a 28mm equivalent lens, and I use the Yongnuo 17mm like a 35mm lens. 28mm and 35mm lenses both have their own places.

[@ptecza]

I won't buy this lens because I'm not a street photographer. But I'm glad that the Micro 4/3 system is developing and new manufacturers are entering it.

[@robinwong]

Yongnuo has been making Micro Four Thirds lenses for years now. They had the 25mm F1.7, 42.5mm F1.7 and 12-35mm F2.8-4.

[@ptecza]

@robinwong Really? I didn't know about it. Thanks a lot for the info! :)

[@leckywoznicki5393]

Thank you :)

[@robinwong]

Cheers

[@blackcubemusic]

Does it take filters? I don’t see any filter tread on the lens?

[@lsh-zi2lc]

I saw them, also the 52mm mark.

[@robinwong]

yes it does

[@fajaragusSaputra]

How about TTartisan 10mm f2 ?

[@keithholland4322]

That's a completely different focal length for a completely different purpose!

[@robinwong]

That is like comparing oranges to cats.

[@danthegeetarman]

Great video as always!

[@robinwong]

Thanks!

[@RogueSplice]

Thanks for the review. These shots look great! This is my favorite wide angle focal length, though I am more of a telephoto type person. The main thing for me does come down to size. I am very grateful for the Olympus 1.8 and I think what it produces look just fine. I own the Olympus 1.2 as well but that is not what gets slapped on for general use at all (it's huge!). This Yongnuo would be great for someone that isn't worried about size and really likes this focal length, it looks like it holds great value in its price.

[@robinwong]

The thing is, the Yongnuo may be larger than Olympus 17mm F1.8, but it is still much smaller than the 17mm F1.2, so it sits right in the middle, and is still quite compact and light (180g). But when you compare against the Olympus 17mm F1.8, the Yongnuo 17mm F1.7 rendering looks more pleasing and organic, couple that with a budget price tag, I'd say the Yongnuo 17mm is a strong contender.

[@LeisurePhotos]

With the lens hood is fixed to the lens, whether or not to attach the filter to the lens.

[@robinwong]

Depends on what you use the filter for. If I were to shoot video, I still need to attach ND filters, for example.

This Yongnuo has similar size to f1.2 and because price is not a big factor for me, I will always choose better lens. My kids use 17mm f1.8 on em10m3, I use f1.2 on om1m1.

[@robinwong]

The Yongnuo is still a lot smaller than the F1.2 lens though. I don't know what gave you the impression it is the same size! Youngnuo 17mm F1.7 dimension (with hood) 65.8 x 77.8mm, and Olympus 17mm F1.2 (without hood) 68.2 x 87mm. For street photography, of course, I want the lens to be smaller and lighter, the 17mm F1.2 is just not so practical in those settings, especially when I use smaller bodies, say Panasonic GM1 or Olympus E-PL7, the 17mm F1.2 will feel front heavy. The Olympus 17mm F1.2 weighs 390g (without hood) and the Yongnuo 17mm is 180g (with hood).

@ I never said they are the same size, 5mm or 10mm difference make them similar size to me. I used to carry em10m3 everywhere with me but I gave it to my kids and now I’m left with om1 and big lens. After few days of carrying it everywhere, I stopped noticing its size or weight. Yes, it takes more space in my backpack but I accept this compromise, because om1 with f1.2 gives me more flexibility, especially in bad light conditions. Cheers!

[@robinwong]

I think you have wrongly estimated the "similarity" in size. Both are of very different sizes (once you attach hood to the 17mm F1.2, it is not merely a few mm difference). Nevertheless that's not important, as long as you enjoy the lens, that's what matters. Cheers.

@ Travel size is more important to me than final size in hand while using it. Lens hood on Pro lenses during travel is wisely mounted backwards in a way that it doesn’t protrude 😜 Finally my big and heavy setup in the context of m43 is still lighter and smaller than equivalents (robustness, ibis, fast lens, grip, rotating screen, pdaf, price) in aps-c and full frame cameras. Before buying om-1 I thought about R6mII but… too big, too expensive. Om1 is just in a sweet spot for me.

[@aemankuat1352]

Link shopee

[@lichtloper]

I like what the Oly 17 brings me. And the MF clickring is very practical. The MCON-P02 on the Oly gets me to 14cm from subject.

[@robinwong]

If only the image quality is better.

[@adesridho]

Klw saya ke Kuala Lumpur boleh g koh saya mampir😊😊🙏.. Salam Dari Indonesia

[@robinwong]

Saya tak faham apa yang tuan nak ucapan, minta maaf.

[@zoltanvarga1967]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@robinwong]

Cheers

[@JezdziecBezNicka]

The Olympus 17mm f/1.8 is easy to beat, definitely the worst lens I own :P Its only saving grace is the size.

[@robinwong]

I agree, Olympus 17mm F1.8 is easy to beat, why has not anyone done it yet? Only budget compact option is only available now - the Yongnuo 17mm.

[@JezdziecBezNicka]

@@robinwong I used to be salty at Oly/OM for not making a proper 17mm (the f/1.2 one is a different beast), but their 20mm fits my needs even better. That being said, I'll probably grab a copy of the Yongnuo anyway :D

[@chrisbrown6432]

Hello Robin, has KZbin changed lately. I posted a comment here and when I checked about a half an hour ago I could not find it.

[@robinwong]

Comments can disappear due to various reasons - inappropriate language, posting an external link (to prevent fraud and scams), potential cyberbullying remarks, etc. I have no control over that unfortunately.

[@chrisbrown6432]

@ thanks Robin, thank you for replying.

[@davidg5898]

It's starting to look like Yongnuo might be expanding their M43 options. I hope so. I'd like to see more 3rd party AF lenses for M43.

[@robinwong]

I don't think they are expanding, they have made the 25mm F1.7 and 42.5mm F1.7 previously, makes sense to complete the trinity with the 17mm F1.7

[@davidg5898]

@@robinwong You're probably right. But I hope you're wrong. 😅

[@robkamanda]

Start off with affordability

[@TheNaught1]

Room to grow here. Yongnuo 17mm is too big, Oly 17mm 1.8 too…meh. Proper weather sealing for a compact lens between 14-20mm? Nonexistent.

[@robinwong]

I think the size for Yongnuo 17m is quite manageable. It isn't as "tiny" as the Olympus 17mm, but clearly, it has less compromises when it comes to image quality and rendering. You cannot have everything.